"David Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I work out every other day at my local YMCA. They have
some blood pressure monitor equipment there, and I got
curious a few months ago (after a news story tried to tell us
that many more of us are 'in warning zone'😉.The YMCA has both the old 'manual' style cuff (where a
stethoscope is also then used) and a more modern 'automatic'
style (with a digital readout). So, I've been having it checked every
few times.The results are HIGHLY VARIABLE!!! (This has been a real eye-opener
for me.)
I just went for an appointment at the place where I usually get my highest bp
readings. In the waiting room, I checked my pulse: 45 bpm. The nurse then led
me into a room, immediately had me hop on the table, and began inflating the
cuff. I checked my stopwatch; the total time from inflation of the cuff, to the
time the nurse announced the bp and pulled off the stethoscope, was just 3
seconds. I felt 2 heartbeats during that time. The nurse took my pulse with
one of those over-the-fingertip devices; the device was on for less than 5
seconds, and the nurse announced a pulse of 60. After the nurse left, I checked
my pulse: 45 bpm.
Speculation: some nurses are so rushed, and spend so little time on bp and pulse
measurements, that they cannot possibly obtain accurate measurements. I can't
fathom how you can hope to get an accurate read on the sounds used for
demarcation points, when all your data are taken over two heartbeats. The bps
at this rush joint are typically 15 points higher than I get elsewhere.